So you’ve decided to fly the nest? Congratulations! Moving out of your parents’ house is a big deal. It’s a process that requires plenty of careful planning, consideration, and quite a lot of “adulting” too!

To help you successfully move out of your parents’ home, we’ve put together 12 easy steps that are sure to help you achieve the independence you want.

Communication is Key

Perhaps your parents are ready to see you go, and have been encouraging your departure for a while.

Or perhaps, they want you to stay forever.

Whatever their opinion, it’s important to clearly communicate your intentions to them – and, if necessary, your Moving Plan. Remember: Even if they are excited about your new adventure, they could still be somewhat sad to see you go. It may be that the first time you came to the house was as a newborn in your mother’s arms! With this in mind, make sure to be extra-sensitive to their needs, feelings and emotions when communicating your move-out plans.

Get a Plan!

Before moving out of your parents’ house, come up with a Moving Plan that both you and your parents can agree upon. It’s a good idea to come up with a goal date for when you think you will be able to move out. This doesn’t mean you have to move out by this date, but it is a starting point for you and your parents. 

In addition to your move-out date, your Moving Plan should include where you intend to move, what type of property you want to move to (apartment, house, student residence), and whether you intend to have a room-mate. Also, consider whether you will be hiring professional movers or doing the work yourself with the help of a few friends. You can always change your mind on any of these as your plans progress, but having a framework will make it easier to get started.

Establish Good Credit

We did say there’d be a few boring “adulty” things involved…!

If you haven’t already established good credit, now’s the time to start. Be aware that a less than stellar credit score (or no credit score) means you’re less likely to obtain a home loan from a bank. If you’re unable to get a loan from a mortgage lender, you can kiss home-ownership goodbye (at least for now). 

If you plan to rent, your credit history will also be important. Most landlords and property managers now run credit checks on rental applicants. By assessing a potential renter’s credit history, the landlord can get a good idea of whether or not the applicant can pay bills and rent on time. Of course, those planning to rent without credit can usually have a co-signer, such as a relative with good credit, sign the lease as well. However, it’s a good idea to start building a healthy credit score in the meantime.

One of the easiest ways to establish good credit is to sign up for a credit card, use it to purchase anything from car fuel to concert tickets, and PAY YOUR BILL ON TIME IN FULL EVERY MONTH. Also, it is preferable not to max out your credit card each and every month! Or, you can establish good credit by paying your student loans or car loans on time. Although there are other ways to establish credit, such as joining a Credit Union that loans money to its members; opening a credit card and making timely payments on loans are probably your best bet. 

Start Saving for a Deposit

It doesn’t matter if you’re planning to rent, or want to buy with a mortgage. You’re going to need enough money in the bank for the deposit! To get there, we suggest coming up with a savings plan that is realistic and reasonable. Tip: This is the time to curb unnecessary spending. From temporarily canceling a gym membership, ditching takeaways and cooking at home instead to cutting back on shopping and travel expenses and forgoing that fancy takeout coffee, there are many easy ways to save money.

Budgeting can also help you save money. Start by determining how much money you earn every month. Next, list your monthly expenses. Start with rent, college tuition fees, utilities and anything else that is essential to you existing! After that, add in entertainment, meals/drinks out, transport/car costs. If you’re not sure what you spend your money on, consider recording every penny you spend, where you spend it, and what you spend it on. Do this for at least a week, or better yet a month, to help with your budgeting. Calculate how much you spend each month on those items. If you spend €500 a month on coffee? List it!

Once you know what your monthly income is, and what your essential expenses (often called “living expenses”) you will then know how much you have each month to spend on luxuries (and yes, pints down the pub are a luxury!) or whether it is better to save it. Make adjustments as necessary, so you can save a certain amount every month towards your deposit. 

Budget for After The Move

It’s all very well to have saved up to move out, but not much use if you can’t afford to live there! Once you have a budget to help you save money for your down payment, it should be easy to create a budget to cover all of the expenses of owning or renting your own space. Some of your budget items will transfer directly from your Current Budget to your After-The-Move budget. These include your loan payments or car insurance. But you may have to make some changes. If you live further or closer to work or college, you’ll need to adjust how much you budget for transport costs, for example. 

Plus, you’ll have new expenses. If you don’t contribute to the family’s groceries (you may be astonished to know the empty milk carton you leave in the fridge DOES NOT magically refill every night!) you’ll need to factor in that cost. You’ll also have to add your monthly rent payments and utilities. 

Almost certainly, your largest outgoing will be your monthly rent. If you’re planning to rent, your current monthly income should be more than enough to cover rental expenses, including the rent, utilities, rental insurance, and others. 

Schedule Movers or Get Friends to Help

Unless you have very little to move, it’s a good idea to enlist either friends or professionals to assist with the move. If enlisting friends for a DIY move, consider renting a van from a reputable company.

If you’re hoping to hire professionals to help with part of the move, you can enlist move-only movers to assist with loading and unloading removal truck. This will most certainly be less expensive than hiring full-service movers (where they also pack up your belongings) to handle the entire move for you.

Be sure to schedule the movers (if you plan to use them) as far in advance as possible. Last-minute moves cost more than ones booked in advance. And if you wait too long, you may have a more difficult time finding movers available for your dates. Want to save a little more money on your move? Book your move on a weekday rather than a weekend.

Decide What You are Bringing … and What You Are Not!

Have too much stuff? If your wardrobes are overflowing, it may be time to get rid of your belongings before you move. After all, the less stuff you have to move, the easier (and cheaper) your move will be.

A word of caution first though. You may be rolling your eyes at your childhood collection of dolls or teddy bears but your mother may have real sentimental and emotional connections to your first-ever teddy bear; and your dad may get weepy-eyed at the childhood fairytale books he used to read to you while tucking you into bed. And even though you spend 23 hours a day on the computer gaming system, your father may have bought it to be used by the whole household – so it may not be even yours to take! Going back to the first step of “Communication” it is wise (and a very adult-ish thing to do!) to ask your parents if you can take or get rid of things you personally did not buy yourself.

For items you know you can do with as you wish, consider donating gently-used items to local charities. Also, selling belongings via an online marketplace can also boost your Moving funds.

If you have a lot of junk to get rid of or large items you can’t donate or easily dispose of, you may want to hire a junk removal company or rent a skip. The company can remove unwanted mattresses, furniture, exercise equipment, and general junk. Let your parents know your plans, and if they have any items they want to get rid of, they may be willing to split the costs. 

Get Packing Supplies

Unless you’re intending to move like The Littlest Hobo (ask your parents! LOL!) you’re going to need to find packing and moving supplies to help with your move. Fortunately, you’ll find all the boxes, tape, voidfill and everything else you’ll need at Box Depot!

 

Time to Get Packing!

After gathering your packing supplies, it’s time to, erm, get packing! We suggest packing non-essentials (those items you won’t need immediately in the coming weeks) first. Examples are seasonal clothing, knick-knacks, photos, books, etc. Expect the packing process to take longer than you expected!

The day before you move, pack essentials, such as toiletries, pajamas, prescription meds, phone chargers etc. in a separate box that can easily be found on Moving Day. Make sure to clearly label all boxes and keep important documents with you at all times.

 

Set up Utilities for your New Place

News flash: If you’ve been living with your parents, you’ve been using their utilities! Unless you want to walk into a dark home with no electricity, you’ll need to set up utilities in your new place as soon as possible. The term “Utilities” generally includes electricity, heating, broadband, tv service, and bin/rubbish removal. We recommend calling the utility companies early on to let them know when you’ll be moving in. Once you’ve scheduled dates for all utilities to be turned on, you may also need to call each company to reserve an installation date as well.

 

Change your Address

Unless you want your parents to receive your overdue bills/final demands for payments/dodgy online purchases you’ll need to change your address. Don’t forget to change your credit card billing address and let your bank know that you’re moving. You will also need to notify your college you’re attending and/or your employer as well. To avoid confusion, it may also be helpful to send out an email to friends and family with your new address.

 

Move Out … and celebrate with a Housewarming Party!

You did it! After saving your money and packing your bags, you’ve successfully moved out of your parents’ house and into your new place. Congratulations! This newfound freedom was certainly worth every tedious step along the way.

Of course, ideally a few days before the actual move, you’ll have thanked your parents for all they’ve done for you over the years by cooking them a special meal, bringing them to a favourite restaurant or getting them a takeaway to show your appreciation! Taking one evening, amid all the chaos, to thank your family is another of those “adult-ey” things that’ll show your parents just how responsible and mature you are!

Want to celebrate your new place? Consider throwing a housewarming party! It doesn’t have to be fancy: just a few friends, some budget-friendly food, and a great ambiance. Remember to be aware of the neighbours though – you don’t want to be getting on their bad side less than a week after you’ve moved in! But a few friends invited over will give you a chance to proudly show off all that you’ve accomplished.

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